Archive for the ‘Writer’s Playbook’ Category

I’m in the middle of preparing a few program proposals for next year’s Romance Writers of America (RWA) conference. I also recently found out that the proposal I submitted for the 2016 Spring Fling Conference sponsored by the Chicago-North RWA chapter was accepted. Since presenting at conferences can frequently mean a reduced registration rate, I thought I’d share a few tips on writing winning proposals.

Today we have the fabulous Tanya Michaels joining us to share how she recovers from being on a deadline for one of her books! Take it away Tanya!

Obviously, authors can’t just sit down and write a book in a single day. (Some people even have carefully scheduled, methodical processes that involve plotting and outlining. Damn, I envy those people.) What you might not know is that recovering from writing a book is also not accomplished in a day.

Kelly Maher is a charmer–not to mention an author who’s busily working on all sorts of books, old and new, to share with readers. Kelly is here to talk about how to present yourself at public events. Charming! Thanks, Kelly!

FIVE SECRETS TO CHARMING READERS AT LIVE EVENTS

At the end of September, I’ll be attending the Baltimore Book Fest and participating on two panels. Thanks to one of my previous day jobs, I became comfortable with public speaking. However, teaching a class on how to use the new service for the library’s downloadable audiobook collection doesn’t have quite the same kind of prep as being an author pimping her books to potential readers. Here are my five secrets to live events as an author.

1. BE YOURSELF

I can’t stress this enough. Readers are at the event to meet you and get to know you (please chime in here, readers!). If you’re in front of a large crowd, and you find it intimidating, choose one to five audience members to focus on and switch your attention between them. Pretend you’re having an intimate conversation with only those chosen few. If you’re in a mingling context, say a cocktail party or a signing, focus on the person in front of you. Share funny stories and other tidbits that you feel comfortable divulging.